Flint Hills Nature Trail Open for Bikers, Hikers

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - After 16 years of planning, the longest biking and hiking trail in Kansas is open for public use, although some spots are still a bit rough. The Flint Hills Nature Trail is currently 90 miles long, and it could expand to 117 miles in the future. Bikers and hikers can see native grasses, wildflowers, tunnels of trees, bridges, streams and a section of hardwood forest. The Wichita Eagle reports that the trail runs along abandoned railroad lines. Linda Craghead, assistant secretary for the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, says the trail is already being used by people who overnight in nearby state parks, private campgrounds or motels. She believes the trail will someday stretch nearly 120 miles and meet other Kansas trails.

Upcoming Events

Description: Join us for a free virtual Science Summer Camp - Forensic Fun - Wildlife Forensics! Learn various forensic science techniques including forensic entomology, forensic botany, and more! This is a free, online camp – all you need is a computer and an internet connection. We'll release new camp videos from 10am - 2pm on June 8! While camps are geared toward 8-11 year olds, kids of all ages are welcome to participate, including families! Be sure to check out all three of our Science Summer Camps in June at https://biodiversity.ku.edu/free-summer-camps DETAILS June 1 (week of) - Instructional guides for Forensic Fun will be shared, so you can review the activities before camp begins. June 8 - CAMP BEGINS! At 10am, connect with museum education and outreach staff on our Facebook page for all the fun! We'll share new camp videos every hour until 2PM with fun learning experiences and activities. Be sure to share pics of your camp experience with us here on Facebook, or email us at biodiversity@ku.edu June 15 (week of) - We'll answer camp questions on Facebook and share photos campers have sent in! Submitted by: Anne Tangeman KU Natural History Museum

Description: Join us for a free virtual Science Summer Camp - Science-PALOOZA! Science-PALOOZA covers many different science topics including chemistry and biology through hands-on activities and demonstrations exploring geography, polymers, binary code, and more that you can watch from home! This is a free, online camp – all you need is a computer and an internet connection. We'll release new camp videos from 10am - 2pm on June 10! While camps are geared toward 8-11 year olds, kids of all ages are welcome to participate, including families! Be sure to check out all three of our Science Summer Camps in June at https://biodiversity.ku.edu/free-summer-camps DETAILS June 1 (week of) - Instructional guides for Science-PALOOZA will be shared, so you can review the activities before camp begins. June 10 - CAMP BEGINS! At 10am, connect with museum education and outreach staff on our Facebook page for all the fun! We'll share new camp videos every hour until 2PM with fun learning experiences and activities. Be sure to share pics of your camp experience with us here on Facebook, or email us at biodiversity@ku.edu June 15 (week of) - We'll answer camp questions on Facebook and share photos campers have sent in! Submitted by: Anne Tangeman KU Natural History Museum

Description: Join us for a free, virtual Science Summer Camp - Expedition Forest Floor and get ready to go on a virtual field trip! Explore the forest floor with staff from the KU Natural History Museum to learn about the properties of soil and the diversity of life it supports. This camp explores soil and its communities of microorganisms through hands-on activities and demonstrations you can watch from home to understand the role soil plays in a forest community! This is a free, online camp – all you need is a computer and an internet connection. We'll release new camp videos from 10am - 2pm on June 12! While camps are geared toward 8-11 year olds, kids of all ages are welcome to participate, including families! Be sure to check out all three of our Science Summer Camps in June at https://biodiversity.ku.edu/free-summer-camps DETAILS June 1 (week of) - Instructional guides for Expedition: Forest Floor will be shared, so you can review the activities before camp begins. June 10 - CAMP BEGINS! At 10am, connect with museum education and outreach staff on our Facebook page for all the fun! We'll share new camp videos every hour until 2PM with fun learning experiences and activities. Be sure to share pics of your camp experience with us here on Facebook, or email us at biodiversity@ku.edu June 15 (week of) - We'll answer camp questions on Facebook and share photos campers have sent in! Submitted by: Anne Tangeman KU Natural History Museum